Nidhish Waghmare
Greece’s most visited place has been shut due to constant rising temperature, on Wednesday the country experienced another heatwave that sent temperatures up to 37 degree Celsius. Greece Acropolis, visited by thousands of visitors, has repeatedly seen rising temperatures and hundreds of wildfires since June. It is said that the Acropolis is experiencing the warmest winter globally due to climate change.
Deadly Heatwaves in Greece
Greece is experiencing Heatwaves earlier this time. According to Meteorologist Panos Giannopaulous “We never had a heatwave before 19 June. We have had several in the 21st century but none before 15 June.” The country is experiencing deadly Heat Waves, causing all the schools, tourists places to close. Temperatures rose above 40 degree celsius in some parts of the country, Crete with 44.5 C while Peloponnese Peninsula 43.9 C.
It is a havoc situation in Greece causing disruption and damage all across the region. People are dying and missing, like an American missing tourist was found dead on the beach of Corfu, many people died and felt ill.
Reasons for Heatwaves
Heatwaves are among the deadliest natural disasters, killing thousands of people every year. Europe is the world’s fastest warming continent and wind blows dust and heat into the east Mediterranean from North Africa. Mainly June is the period Greece experiences the hot weather, temperatures across the country are not easy to control.
“ The latter part of the European summer is likely to be warmer than average everywhere ( with above- normal chance of exceeding the 80th percentile of climatology for seasonal means), drier than average in the south and wetter than average in the far north” C3S said in it’s season forecast.
Additionally, burning of fossil fuels, urbanization are one of the main reasons causing Heatwaves to be hotter and longer. There is an urgent need for the country to look after their heat action plans in light to have control over the situation and climate changes.
Plight of Acropolis
Acropolis is on fire, schools and tourist places have been shut down until further notice. Acropolis is located on the rocky hilly part of Greece, attracts thousands of visitors each year. The extreme Heatwaves caused deaths of hundreds of people, recently two firefighters died while putting out a fire in the Basilicata region in Southern Italy.
“ This is abnormal for all across the world, right? what is it, that by the end of these 50 years we’re not going to be able to keep up with climate change anymore” said a tourist from Canada
“We are experiencing an intense climate change…and that’s why the state has to adapt, bearing in mind always the protection of its people and in particular of its workers” said by a local worker.
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